Of Murder and Manipulation
by satachiha08
Summary: Sequal to Control and Family. Echizen Ryoma a prodigy medical asistant gets transfered from New York to Tokyo and has to attend Seigaku. He has never touched a racket in his life. So how did he get involved with the tennis regulars?
1. Chapter 1

Here it is! The sequel! This one will hopefully tie in better be longer. I know for sure it will be better since the last one was kind of rushed. Enjoy!

--------------------------------------------

Chapter One

A young man was sitting in the window seat of a medium sized private jet scowling down at Japanese cityscape. He was and looked more like an adolescent boy, but due to his accomplishments, he could hardly be referred to as one.

Most children his age would probably be hunching over the TV playing video games or procrastinating and reading comic books. But that wasn't the case with Ryoma Echizen or any other adolescent in the DDS detective school program.

Ryoma Echizen was a child genius, just like the rest of his close family. He almost lived the perfect life. Intelligent, creative, successful, he was studying to be a medical examiner, so he always knew more about crimes than the police gave out. His older sister got a PhD in English and Foreign Languages at the age of 16 (a.n. I actually saw a kid like this on TV a couple years ago so it's not too far off) and was currently modeling designer dresses all around the world. His younger twin brother had 3 dans in kendo, karate, and various other martial arts while his younger sister was doing 9th grade work at the age of 11.

The Echizen clan was one of the most influential and oldest families in Japan, dating back all the way back to the 1600s reigning along side the Asakura clan. They also had blood ties stretching all the way out from the famous Sohmas in Japan to the Hargreaves in England. But beyond the traditional fortune and glimmer any one in the family could tell you plain and simple – Life is hell.

No one really knew what happened to the failures of the family. Somehow they always got eliminated or disappeared. It was an unwritten rule not to question all the deaths and disappearances in the family that aren't natural. Ruiji, Ryoma's older twin, supposedly died of a drug overdose 2 months after he started using, Ryoga disappeared 8 years ago, and Kaiko disappeared went missing 4 months after born. After the first disappearance Ryoma and his remaining siblings got the message. Don't Fail. Be successful. And that's what they did.

Ryoma Echizen's skin always looked remarkably pale. At first glance he had all the requirements of a model. Skin that looked creamy soft, a small, fit, build, yellow-golden penetrating eyes, and as an added bonus, his frame was stunningly cute, and innocently child-like. Almost like a kitten. But if you looked deeper, an observant person could see the small bruises scattered across his arms along with an occasional scratch, the small bangs under his eyes, and his voice, although melodic, lacked emotion and interest. There was also one more thing that bothered his classmates and colleagues- an unmistakable piece of gauze that was always wrapped around his wrist on his right hand that took up the space inside his wrist and elbow. Only four other people in the world knew what he was hiding.

"Master Echizen, we will be arriving in Tokyo, Japan shortly. Please make sure you have all your baggage. We would also like to remind you that your limo will be ready to take you to your final destination when we arrive. Your luggage will be waiting for you in your final destination. We hope that you have enjoyed the flight. Thank you." The speakers boomed hurting the passenger's ears. He winced, but didn't respond.

Five minutes later, as planned, the plane safely landed in Tokyo with the limo waiting underneath. Ryoma got off and briskly walked to the limo without making a sound. The driver was waiting for him and opened the back door to let him in. He then entered the car through driver's seat and began driving. Ryoma once again didn't say a word through out the entire trip.

The car slowed down at the DDS headquarters. Campus was large and spacious, although there were probably no more than 200 students attending the school and they were housing even less. The school was complete with labs, dorms, classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, and shooting ranges. Everything needed to train an ideal detective. The driver opened the door for Ryoma again to let him out and left. When Ryoma entered the school building, he was greeted by Dan Morihiko-sensei, the founder and principal of the school and Katagiri Shino- sensei, his assistant.

"It's nice to see you could make it, Echizen-kun." Dan-sensei greeted Ryoma when he saw him. Ryoma noted that the principal called him by his last name even though he usually called most students by their first names when he meets them. It must be because of his heritage. "Your family has made lots of donations to the school in the past. DDS campus in Japan would be honored to have you."

"Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu." Ryoma answered respectfully and bowed deeply. "I'm very happy to be here." Ryoma lied between his teeth, but no one realized, because his was looking down. He would much rather be back in Kyoto. Or at least America. He could live without Japanese breakfasts for a couple months.

But Tokyo…? The only reason he was there was because DDS New York campus sent him. _Mada mada dane. This is going to be very boring._

Katagiri- sensei lead Ryoma to the boys' dorm and explained that regular class would start at 3:30 pm and end at 6:00 pm every day. She also gave him a map of the school and explained that there were many unsolved cases that he could take on the DDC computer harddrive (is that word right XD) that he could take up with the police, but he would have to solve them and couldn't drop out. Ryoma didn't listen very well, but he understood everything and nodded at all the right places. When Katagiri-sensei left, he lied down on his bed and went to sleep. There was a note left by his bed that read 'You will start school at Seishun Middle School on Monday. Another former student, Inui Sadaharo studies there too.'

--------------------------------------------------------------

Asakura- It actually means a totally different thing in Japanese history, but since I don't want to give a 10 page history lesson, let's just say it comes from Shaman King and they're a psychic, shamanic family.

DDS- Directly from Detective Academy Q/ Detective School Q. A school founded by former detective Dan Morihiko that takes in bright children in hope of turning them into detectives. I altered a few things. You can find it at YouTube on "Tantei Gakuen Q" and the English title if they haven't deleted it yet.

DDC- Dan Detective Company. Another law enforcement organization founded by Dan Morihiko. DDS stems off it.

Sohma- Fruits Basket. Large family with over 50 members. Akito-sama is their leader. There's a family curse placed on 12 members that turns them into a member of the zodiac when ever they are hugged by members of the opposite sex.

Hargreaves- Godchild. Influential family in England. They have committed lots of murders in the past. Explain more later. Hand getting tired from typing.

How is it? Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

"Class, we have a special student coming in today," Ryoma heard the teacher announced through the door. The old "special student" speech. Why wasn't he surprised? It didn't sound any better in Japanese than it did in English. Hearing the words "special student" made him sound like I freak. Like he was some kind of superior species that could kill them all if they weren't careful. Of course, when he was interviewing/interrogating possible witnesses, that aura could be favorable and might keep him from being stabbed, but in a school-setting it's just plain _annoying._ Anyone that doesn't shy away from him at once tries to badger him into becoming his friend to gain access to a private beach, water park, hotel, or whatever else they think he owns. Where's that Inui guy that's supposed to be here? And Ryuzaki-sensei, Oyaji's old coach is supposed to teach here too. _I guess I'll just have to meet up with them after school. _Although the school could have at least _tried _to notify him of the grade and homeroom teacher he'd be with. But really, why bother? If you can perform an autopsy on a six year old without throwing up, why shouldn't you be able to go one day as the new, rich, famous, kid in school with out any knowledge about what's going to happen or even the teacher's name, anyway?

Ryoma silently, laughed bitterly. They were reaching the "dramatic entrance" part. He gathered himself up, and adjusted his posture as he positioned his hand over the door handle. A sudden look of surprise, disbelief, admiration, and in some cases anger swept through the students' faces. That was his queue. Ryoma opened the door and let himself in. He didn't try to put on an air of superiority; everybody else was taking care of that for him.

"Hello," Ryoma spoke in an even voice in front of the class, "I'm Echizen, Ryoma. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." He bowed and waited for the teacher to tell him where to sit.

"Um take a seat behind Horio-kun for now, Echizen-kun, er, -san"

--"-kun,"—Ryoma interjected to spare the poor man of his suffering. The man was sweating really badly and might embarrass himself in front of his students. Ryoma took his seat and didn't say a word for the entire period.

The school day couldn't have gone quicker. Ryoma slept the day away during class only to be wakened by the bell to go ask the teacher's about what his next class was. No one really seemed to mind that much since Ryoma had been studying the same things when he was eight years old. The teachers did look a little irritated, but didn't comment. Finally the teachers announced the homework that was due (Ryoma finished it all in the last ten minutes of the day giving better answers that were to complicated for some of the teachers to understand), and the last bell rang to signal the end of the day. Ryoma tried to make his way to the tennis courts or at least a vending machine to buy Ponta.

He found a guy to point him towards the tennis courts, but he mislead him towards the Wrestling team. Luckily, a tall ninth grader, with brown hair, and an athletic build lead him the right way. Judging by his appearance and attitude, Ryoma guessed that he must be a member. A regular, maybe.

"Is there anything you need from the tennis team?" the regular asked.

"I'm looking for Ryozaki-sensei and Inui-san." Ryoma answered.

"What do you want with them?" the regular paused for a split second, and beyond his mask, Ryoma thought he looked generally interested. _Let's see how nosy this guy can be._

"Oh, just catching up on things. Important things." The regular didn't make any comment after that.

"Oi! Buchou's took a long time to come, nya!" a hyper, red-headed, boy yelled waving his hand. He took a look at Ryoma and exclaimed, "Buchou brought a friend!"

The red-headed boy ran up to him and introduced himself with the same childish, cheerful tone. "Kikumaru Eiji, ninth grade! Nice to meet you, ochibi, nya!"

A startled Ryoma weakly responded, "E-echizen Ryoma, Yoroshiku. I'm looking for Ryozaki-sensei." Ryoma managed to make it come out as an answer and not a question. There was an immediate up rise with the students followed by mutterings and rumors being started.

"Oh, Ryoma-kun!" Ryozaki-sensei exclaimed when she got out of her office. "I didn't think you'd be coming! Do you need anything or are you planning to join? With your father's talents we could really use you."

"Ryozaki-sensei." Ryoma snapped, "Let's go into a more private place. Then you can explain."

Ryozaki-sensei followed Ryoma into her office and shut the door behind her. They could still hear the captain barking orders at the rest of the team.

"Okay," Ryoma relaxed, "Explain."

"What do you mean?" Sumire asked.

_Come on!_ Ryoma sighed to himself, _Do I have to explain everything around here? _"Why am I in 7th grade? Why am I not in a better school like Hyotei? Why am I even in junior high in the first place? And last, but not least, shouldn't I be teaching or attending a class in Tokyo U or something?" Ryoma asked quickly without taking a breath. Sensei just looked dumbfounded.

"Didn't they tell you anything?" she asked hesitantly.

"No! That's what I mean, it's so annoying!" he crushed the empty Ponta can in his fist.

"Well… I don't really know much myself," Sumire started, "All I know is what the commissioners tell Inui-kun, and they don't tell him much. From what he's heard, you're getting too good."

Ryoma was almost shocked speechless for a moment, "What? 'too good' what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're getting used to everything, Ryoma." Sumire responded, "Autopsies, corpses, devastated families, that's all supposed to take some kind of toll on you, and at one point, your supervisors thought they didn't."

"Just because they see a little progress doesn't mean they traumatized me!" Ryoma shouted, "It's ridicules! What do they expect me to do? Break down crying and faint after every corpse?!"

"No, but a few tears wouldn't hurt," Ryozaki negotiated, "Anyway, just take this time to calm down and have a little break. Maybe you can make friends, go to the beach, anything that doesn't get you out of Japan."

"That still doesn't explain why I'm in middle school and in the seventh grade."

"I don't know about that. Ask Inui."

"Where is he?"

"I'll introduce you. Just don't get your call your lawyers, yet."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, it's been a long time... the teachers have just started giving out real homework (math's a killer) so updates are going to be more rare. Sorry! Reveiw and tell me how you like it, 'kay? And thank you to forgottenhyoshi who's stuck through. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

'' Rizaya talking telepathicaly

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"INUI!" Ryozaki-sensei shouted, startling the team and making Tezuka have to calm every one down. Inui walked over to the door muttering about data, percents, and probability.

"There is an 86.5 chance that you are going to introduce me to Echizen." He stated professionally.

"There's also 99 chance that I'll arrest you for conspiracy unless you tell me why I'm here right now!" Ryoma threatened. And he was serious too. He was good at masking all his negative emotions, but that didn't mean that they weren't there. Beside's, everyone else knew what was happening besides him possible probable cause.

"Ryoma!" Ryozaki-sensei warned, "Let's stay calm. Inui explain. Now." Ryoma nodded, and they all looked at Inui expectantly. He almost looked like he was sweating from the pressure. _How difficult can it be to give _one simple_ explanation? Are these people _that dumb?

"Echizen, the commissioners told me about you. Inui Sadaharu, yoroshiku onegaishimas." Inui was tall and had good posture. It was obvious that he was the "brains" of the tennis team and helped everyone with training and organization. Ryoma could see the potential he had as a detective. _I wonder why he quit. Who would take a tennis club over the best detective law enforcement agency in the world?_

"Echizen Ryoma, Yoroshiku, what do you know?" Ryoma bowed quickly and tried to get an answer out of this guy.

"I assume you don't know about the deportation."

"_Deportation?!_" What? _No one_ could ever kick an Echizen out of their country. It was an _honor _to have him in their country and he was solving their murders, rapes, burglaries, and investigating crime scenes and bodies (including vomit, dumpsters, and pulling condoms out of a toilet) without getting so much as a penny in return.

"It's more of a "transfer" actually, the commissioners decided to send you back to Japan for some lower-level work for a while. You don't really have to do anything either, just make sure to stay in Japanese borders."

"Why, how long?! Why didn't anyone tell me about this?!" Ryoma was appalled. If they had to force him in Japan, couldn't they at least have the courtesy to tell him why he was being sent away from his home and friends?

"I'm not very sure about that. I think the maximum is a year at most. This period is meant to be used as a break or relaxation period. But, your passport is still nullified and you do have to attend a psychiatric evaluation every month. I'm not sure about the rest."

Ryoma was still stuck at the words 'nullified', 'password', 'maximum', and 'year'. Breath in, breathe out, in, out, he concentrated completely on the rispetory system to keep from having a nervous breakdown and gathered his thoughts. _I have been transferred/deported to Japan against my own will, forced to go to 7__th__ grade in Seishun Middle School, my passport has been nullified, and I'm under virtual house-arrest in Japan._

_Mada mada dane._

Almost on cue with his thoughts, a hot, sharp, searing, pain spread across his right hand, followed by the unmistakable, familiar feel of blood against his skin. God.

'_Kitten-san, are you alright? It feels as if you're in mental distress. Should I send an ambulance?' _The voice of Ryoma's younger twin brother, Rizaya, echoed inside his head combining itself with the pain, the shock, and trying to keep his cool composure. Rizaya's voice always was filled with loathing, sarcasm, hate, superiority, arrogance, pride, and just a hint of disappointment at whomever he was talking to. All these traits enabled him to control or shake whoever heard him with just a sigh or the sound of his breath. His sadistic, manipulative, cruel, composure was often taken as strength and pride, which as well as providing him with an air that made him look older (Ryoma could pass for 8 if he tried really hard), made him a favorite among female teachers and woman, both in kendo and regular classes.

_No, I'm alright, Nii-san, just a little troubled. You don't need to worry._

_'If you say so, it's not my life.'_

"Echizen? Wake up!" Ryoma heard Ryozaki calling, but her voice sounded strangely far away. _Ah, I collapsed. Shit. _Ryoma summoned all the strength he could muster to slip back into consciousness. He briefly glanced over at his right arm to make sure that complications didn't develop when he fell. The bleeding stopped, but some of the blood was still visible through the tight gauze. He needed to change it soon before more suspicion started. "What happened?"

"You fainted from shock."

"Okay, give me my schedule, and I'll get out and leave you alone."

Inui paused for a moment and Ryoma, with tired eyes, saw his expression change from problem solving accountant, to mischievous child science protégée. "The regulars are going to McDonalds after practice Echizen-kun. You should join us, there's still at least an hour before DDS classes start."

Ryoma considered his wording, "This isn't a choice, is it?"

"No."

"Alright then,"

Sumire looked back and forth between the two and when Ryoma exited the office a little too eagerly she asked, "Inui, what are you planning to accomplish?"

"Eii, data."


	4. Chapter 4

The regulars were all sticky with sweat as Ryoma entered the locker rooms and the smell burnt his nose although he was careful not to show it.

"Echizen? What are you doing here?" a tall muscular male asked him. He was smelly too; Ryoma cringed inside.

"Inui-senpai invited me. I hope I won't be too much of a burden," plain and simple. Tell someone not to be kind to you and they'll bow before you. Classic business man technique.

"Er, no, it's fine," he hesitated. Works every time, "Momoshiro Takeshi, 8th grade. You can call me Momo. That's Fuji-senpai, Kawamura-senpai, Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru- senpai, Tezuka-buchou and Mamushi."

"Fshuu…" a relatively intimidating guy with a bandana glared over at Momo. Momo glared back. Ryoma suspected they were rivals. "Kaido Kaoro."

All the regulars and Ryoma walked together to Kawamura Sushi in awkward silence. No one talked and the only noise made among them was the sound of Inui scribbling in his notebook. Finally after almost fifteen minutes it looked like Tezuka was fed up with the silence and decided to intercept.

" So Echizen, what sort of work do you do?" Tezuka asked fearlessly. All eyes turned on Ryoma, but if he noticed, he didn't show it. (He did notice.)

"I work in forensics, crime scene investigation, sometimes I get transferred to hospitals, and occasionally I do detective work." Ryoma looked straight at Tezuka's eyes. He noticed that every one regarded him as a leader, but Ryoma wouldn't let someone control him in Japan either. He already had an inferiority complex and adding fuel to the fire was very unnecessary.

"So…?" questioned Momo. _Idiots! _

"It means that I look over bodies from crime scenes for evidence and cause of death; look over crime scenes for evidence, sometimes I go work at hospitals during breaks for education diagnosing easier things like infection, STDs, and general work, and sometimes when they let me, I help with detective work and interrogations if they don't have enough people." Ryoma sighed and spoke in one breath.

"Okay…"

"What are you doing back in Japan?" Tezuka asked again. Man, this guy was persistent, why couldn't he give it a rest and start talking about regular things teenage jocks talk about like girls, sports, or whatever else tennis team captains usually talk about.

Ryoma however didn't let his frustration show. Years of training and deceit had taught him to act nicely to people, no matter how idiotic or annoying they were; and it paid off. "That's a good question," he said and left it at that. Then, he took a sip of Ponta to signal that that was all they were getting.

"…"

_I should get out of here. _"Um… is there a pay phone near here? I really need to withdraw some money."

"There's a phone you can use in here," the Kawamura guy said. He had dark hair and was really tall, strong, muscular, but he acted like a pushover, kind, sincere, and reasonable. You don't see many of those guys in the US any more.

"Thanks."

Ryoma picked up the phone and started dialing the bank.

'Hello, Bank (sorry low imagination: p ) how can I help you?)

"Echizen Ryoma, I'd like to withdraw 3,000 yen."

"We're very sorry. Your accounts have all been frozen in the course of a police investigation. Please try again another time. Thank you."

Ryoma's heart skipped a beat. Freezing a passport was one thing, but all 10 bank accounts?! "Thank you for your help," he said monotonously and put down the phone.

"Echizen…?" Inui asked, sounding generally concerned.

"The bitches put me under house arrest." All eyes turned on Ryoma, "They froze my passport, bank accounts, want me to live in their dorms, and" --- he motioned with his eyes to two business men in suits eating in the back --- keep me under surveillance at all times."

Everyone was too shocked to say anything at the moment, and their astonishment showed on their faces too. Tezuka and Fuji were the first to recover.

"Why would DDS do that?" Fuji asked with his eyes wide open.

"Who knows? Maybe they hired a traditional Christian mother with PSDD?" the regulars stared. "That or they hired a traditional Christian pregnant woman. Or maybe they just remembered to care."

"Ochibi looks angry." Eiji whispered to Oishi who nodded slightly.

"Sorry for your phone bill, I'm calling New York."

"Eh?" Kawamura looked confused while Ryoma was dialing.

"Kevin! Explain."

'Ryoma! You 'kay? You sound irritated.'

"Do I? Have you ever wondered that's because you let yourself in my apartment 3 o'clock in the morning, yelled 'Wake up, you're going to Japan' giving me a panic attack and laughed your head off when the nurse managed to get my heart rate down?"

'Sorry about that. Really, you should have seen yourself screaming, falling off the bed—'

"Enough already! Do you have any courtesy to tell me why I'm under house arrest?"

'Country arrest, and no. Now, I'm going to hang up before the phone bill goes up to one hundred and owe more money than I already do. Good bye.' He hung up. Ryoma looked ready to strangle someone.


	5. Chapter 5

"Uhhh…Echizen?" Momo asked uncertainty, "What happened?"

"None of your business Senpai," Ryoma still looked unmistakably furious, like he had been the victim of identity theft by his parents. Why was everyone keeping secrets from him? It would make it a hell of a lot easier to be deported if he actually knew the frickin' reason!

A ring coming from Inui's cellphone brought Ryoma back to reality.

"Hello? This is Inui."

"We would like to speak to Dr Echizen, please."

"Of course." He handed Ryoma the phone.

'Echizen? Are you there?'

"Yes, who are you, and what do you want?"

"This is the DDS commission office; we would like to remind you to arrive on time and in a prudent matter during your stay. This is federal business, and for succession it is vital that you do not 'play detective' while you are in Japan, and please do not attempt to leave Japanese borders because your passport has already been forfeited. Your accounts have been frozen to check for identity theft and any other crimes and will remain frozen until further notice, but you are permitted to create a new one if you wish to do so. You will not be allowed to make long distance calls anywhere out of Japan without permission from your superiors at DDS. Thank you for your patience."

"The DDCO? Thank God… Would you please tell me why…" –a 'clank' was heard as the man hung up on him. Ryoma stood frozen for a second before he looked at the regulars who were staring with wide eyes. (except for Tezuka)

"Excuse me, but class is starting soon and I need to be going. Thanks for the sushi and Ponta." Ryoma proceeded to exiting and calling a limo to pick him up.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

AHHHHHHH! Super short chapter! Sorry about that but I though I really should get un update in some time this year. (haha this only took me about ten minutes to write off the top of my head) I'd like to make sure every one knows that THIS IS NOT PLANNED!!! Okay, I have _some _thing planned, but most of it I think about the moment I sit down and type, so I'm open to suggestions!

NOTE: SUGGESTIONS MEANS THAT ALL YOUR IDEAS MAY NOT BE USED SO DON'T GO FLAMING ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T USE YOUR BRILLIANT IDEA OF A FLYING UNICORN OR SOMETHING!!!


	6. Chapter 6

After Ryoma left, the regulars stared back at Inui with more than the usual fear and astonishment.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell us Inui?" Tezuka asked with more patience than he was feeling. Inui checked his cell phone again and muttered something incomprehensible.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryoma started walking briskly to the subway, but couldn't contain himself as he broke into a run. _Who do they think they are, following me like that? I could beat them all in less than a second if they would show themselves. _He glanced around

himself quickly to make sure they weren't following him. Good, he must have outrun them

God, when did this start happening? One day he was praised at being the best examiner/coroner DDS had seen in years and the next he was on house arrest with spies watching his every move and he didn't even know why! _They'll see, I'll show them I'm better than this._

"**Train leaving for xxxStation will depart in 3 minutes. All passengers please report to xxx**" (AN: Sorry, I don't really know much about Japanese subways :p)

Ryoma's eyes shone in determination and anger as he distinguished the group that he would be working with for the time being from the rest of the crowd.

There was one tall guy that looked like the oldest of the group. He looked 16…17, maybe 18 at most and had short hair and a semi-childish grin. His muscles were slender, but noticeable; he must be working hard on them.

The male next to him looked a lot younger, maybe thirteen. His hair was the same color as Ryoma's only with white highlights. He was dressed in a school uniform and wore a happy-go-lucky smile that almost made Ryoma think he was 10. Ryoma hated those types of noisy people.

The man standing to a girl with pink hair though looked like the exact opposite of the other male. He had lavender colored hair, looked around 14, maybe older, and was extremely pale, paler than even Ryoma on a bad day. He also wore a black necklace, had cold, gray eyes, and was very slim. _We should get along well. _

The girl next to him had pink hair, as mentioned, wore a traditional shirt-and-skirt uniform only it was sky blue with mary-janes and long socks. She looked around the same age as the other two and was smiling and blushing at the same time.

The last detective looked remotely younger than the others. He looked shorter, around the high of an 11 year old and by his attire, Ryoma could tell he was a computer geek. He wore clothes from the children's section of a department store and was ferociously typing and navigating himself through a laptop with one hand while holding the laptop in the other. Ryoma waved at their direction to be noticed.

"Ah! Echizen-kun, over here!" the older guy exclaimed and ran towards him with the rest of the group. They greeted him by smiling. Even the pale guy had a small grin.

The guy with white highlights stepped forward as the leader and proceeded to introduce everyone with his happy-go-lucky voice.

"Welcome to DDS Japan Campus Echizen-kun! We're Class Q and we hope you have a great time here!" _If I knew why I was here in the first place that would help a lot. _"This is Toyama Kintaro," –he pointed at the older guy- "Megu," he pointed at the girl- "Kuzuma," – the 11 year old nodded- "Ryu," he motioned towards the pale guy- "and I'm Kyu" he smiled again "Yoroshiku!"

**MEANWHILE AT THE SUSI RESTAURANT…**

"This is why you don't socialize with geniuses, you just don't…" sighed Momo.

"He's just nervous. I mean we approached him so suddenly he didn't know how to react! We should have been more subtle," argued mother-hen Oishi.

Tezuka remained silent carefully eyeing Inui. Fuji wore one of his continuing smiles with both his eyes closed (thankfully). "So… what do you make of this Tezuka?" the tensai teased playfully. Tezuka made no answer, but visibly twitched a bit. He was almost tempted to admit defeat, but, for some unknown reason Inui had interest in this freshman, and Inui was not to be taken lightly. Not to mention Fuji; if Inui started this 'befriend-the-new-kid' game Fuji was sure to follow. Even Tezuka himself saw something interesting in that boy. He had a hint of mischief with raw determination in his eyes. At first glance his potential looked like it was exercised to the brink, but there was something missing. Judging from first impressions, Echizen was still an immature kid working in medicine and law enforcement just for the sake of it. Tezuka would have to do something about it. The boy was a perfect piece of clay getting ready to be molded. Now, if only he played tennis…

-------------------------------------

Oh dear… what will happen to our little Kitten-san when the bochou, tensai, and data man with Inui juice get interested? Poor, annoyed, confused Ryoma. Will it end with a murder at Seigaku or a last minute trick?

----------------------------

How was it I added the little bit at the end for a weak attept at dramatic effect. Pathetic. Yeah. I've already started chapter 7 and I hope to post it some time early December along with a continuation of Transplant. Thanks for waiting!


	7. Chapter 7

A cell phone rang and everyone rushed at Kyu's side to see who it was. Even Kyu's face turned serious at the caller-id. It was Dan-sensei.

['Class Q; Go straight to Katsudoteki Park.' He ordered in a stern and serious voice. It had to be a new case.

No questions were asked. They all waited for the train in silence until Ryoma had the nerve to break it. "What does 'Class Q' mean?

Ryu stole a glance at him while Kyu answered, "Q means 'qualified'. This is a special class for those who Dan-sensei believes are good enough to be his successors."

Successors? Things got a little more interesting. "So it's a competition?" Ryoma asked with interest.

"No, no, nothing like that!" Kyu raised his hands in mock surrender, "We just work together as best as we can and whoever Sensei likes best he will choose." Kyu laughed awkwardly.

"Oh. Don't you ever feel any type of competitiveness?" Ryoma probed. _How can you be in line for such a heritage and not try to look better than __every one__ else?_

Kyu laughed the same way and Ryu's glare started to get more penetrating. "Of course not! We're all friends. You're one of us too, right? New York City DDS Campus."

Ryoma nodded and remained silent for the rest of the ride. There was something missing in this class, or rather something unnecessary added. Didn't these students know the value of being the heir to the DDC fortune? Being Dan Morihiko's heir meant that they would inherit not only all twenty four campuses in the world, but 32 billion dollars, a considerable amount of fame and acknowledgement in the world, and not to mention access to all legal movements and cases made by virtually every law enforcement group in the world, and _a lot_ more (hospitals, factories, mansions, ect.)

Of course it isn't like he really needed all that, he already had mansions and money, but it would help his status in the family and protect him from any, erm, "tricks" that they might consider pulling. Life gets complicated like that.

But before he could even consider highlighting himself to Dan-sensei, he had to disable the competition first. Bring them down; make them feel helpless, and worthless, 'till they just can't do this job anymore.' Not hurt them physically, just build the path. Then, the only outcome would be that they would either surrender and consider him the only saint worthy of getting that inheritance, or just be so weak that they weren't much of a competition at all. Ryoma mentally snickered. He was learning from Rizaya.

**"****Kutsudoketi ****Park****," **the speakers yelled. Class Q departed the train and started towards the scene blocked by yellow "DO NOT CROSS" tape and surrounded by ambulances, police cars, and soon to be, Ryoma predicted, the press and news. Every one held up their DDS notebooks to keep the officers from telling them to leave. The officers promptly stood back.

Ryoma took charge and asked him, "Stats?" his voice was so cold the rest of them hung back and watched while the officer stood up straighter.

"39 year old, female, Sugasaki Meiko, three shots to the chest throat and chest. Time of death 11:30 this morning."

"Gunshots?"

"Yes, sir."

Ryoma started walking towards Dan-sensei's direction with Class Q closely behind him. Dan-sensei was in a wheelchair with Katagiri-sensei behind him inspectin the crime scene. The corpse of an Irish woman with red hair was lying on the gound face up with its eyes wide open in fear along with her mouth turned down in a frown. The sight was sickening.

"There you are!" Katagiri exclaimed when she saw them all rushing towards Dan-sensei and the body. Dan-sensei's eyes managed to tear away from the body when he saw Kyu.

He cleared his throat and said, "The Tokyo Police department has asked DDS to investigate this crime because they are busy with some other cases. I trust this won't be too much for you?"

"No sensei," Kyu answered for the rest of the group, "We have Ryoma-kun with us too now,"- _Since when have we been on first name basis? - _"Will Class A come too?"

"No, this time it's just you." Dan-sensei answered with some level of expectation, Hongo should be here soon."

"Who's Hongo?" Ryoma asked.

"He's our teacher and he accompanies us on all our cases." Ryu explained.

"He's really strict!" Kenta cried.

-----------------------------------

Sorry! Had to stop there to get it up as soon as possible. I'm thinking that there might be some action after this ;-) Also, who wants Rizaya to make an appearance sometime in the next 3-4 chapters? Will be taking votes.


	8. Chapter 8

There was a large man looming over the surprisingly tiny Ryoma. Correction, there was a large, muscular, intimidating, frightening, _giant_ looming over the tiny, insignificant Ryoma. Scary.

He wore his black hair longer than necessary for his profession, and had a scar on his cheek giving him the impression of a pirate separated from his traditional clothes. _Get a haircut. Please?_ The heavy black coat he wore despite of the heat didn't help either. It matched his hair. _Shouldn't you have melted by now? Or are you on chemo(_1 To top it off sufficiently, he wore a big, shining, noticeable, steel watch on him right hand. The glass had cracks in it, from God knows how many objects. Before, Ryoma was concentrating on making sure Dan-sensei recognized his skills. Now he was concentrating on keeping conscious and controlling the adrenaline and panic attack he was sure would come soon.

"Is there a bathroom near here?" Ryoma whispered timidly to Kyu to keep himself from fainting. Breath in, breath out, keep eyes open, don't let down facade.

"It's okay, he's like that on everybody at first, you'll get used to it, and he's not so bad. On the left." Kyu grinned (Is that all the boy does?) Ryoma, beyond hearing, took off in a rush, making his breathing harder to manage. When he was out of eyesight, he collapsed, his breath coming out in gasps with the sickly smell of adrenaline in his mouth and struggled for a paper bag he always kept handy in his shirt pocket.

His breath evened out as he steadily inflated and deflated the paper bag, without stopping for several seconds. He decided to go in the men's room anyway to wash his face; it wouldn't help his campaign if he looked peachy in front of his classmates. When he entered, what little breakfast he had revolted and decided to come back up. _I really don't need this right now._

In the men's room, there was a mutilated body that looked like it had been… crushed. The entire torso was scattered all over the floor while the legs and arms were twisted in awkward ways. The neck was smashed flat and his head was decapitated. His pants were missing.

Ryoma swiftly took out a pair of clean rubber gloves that were a part of the DDS notebook before using the door to balance himself and took a couple of deep breaths. Can't you even go take a piss in Japan without finding a corpse?! He took out his cell phone and dialed texts quickly, 'mens room now'.

--------------------

"Sorry about that and on your first day too…" Megu looked at Ryoma sympathetically. Ryoma was sitting on the floor with his back to the concrete wall of the outside of the women's side with a paper cup filled with water in his hand.

"I'm fine, really, it's not like I can't handle it," Ryoma defended himself.

"It's not fair! Why am _I _the only person that doesn't get to see it!?" Kazuma cried indignantly. No one answered him, "I can't work properly without seeing the body with my own eyes." He complained again exasperatingly.

"What do you need to see a mutilated body for?!" yelled Kenta who was just coming back from the ambulance and investigators, "You want to be put in a loony bin before you get out of high school? Ryu and Kyu are still going to be back there for a while. Dan-sensei says we should go home and get some rest for today, especially you, Ryoma" –_There we go with the first names again. Ugh.—_"Katagiri-sensei will drive you home." 'So you don't collapse on the way.' Ryoma mentally added. This was all his fault for being so careless on his first day. Now, look at what an impression he made! Smart, statistical, down-to-earth when he needed to be, but can't handle work on field without throwing up. Damn that Hon-what's-his-name.

--------------------------

"Tough day, Echizen-kun," Katagiri-sensei started. They were driving back to campus through Tokyo's winding roads. It's a good thing it was rush hour or the tension would have been too hard to bear. Ryoma was in the back seat staring indifferently out at the variety of cars frozen in place by their numbers. People cursing, cars honking, loud music that could be heard a quarter of a mile away, this tired him out. _I just want to go to sleep. __Karupin__… _

Ryoma felt his body ready to enter a deep sleep before Katagiri stopped it automatically, "So, Echizen-kun," she tried again, sweetly, "How long have you been with DDS?"

Ryoma's eyes body awoke with a jolt, "I've been training for as long as I can remember," he answered as calmly as he could, (which is pretty calm) trying his hardest not to take that fake, nosy, woman's head and throwing it out the window, "I've been taking regular classes along with martial arts and medical and detective training."

"I see…" she paused for a moment, "Have you considered anything else?"

That's it. His entire body was screaming _Warning! Warning!_ This obaa-san (AN grandma. Really, she's not that old.) thought he was a wimp. Too fragile to handle anything! He must have made a miscalculation somewhere. Made too big a mistake. Damn.

"No." he replied through gritted teeth.

"Not even tennis."

"Not interested."

"Ever had the chance?"

Ryoma's heart skipped a bit. His father was the number one tennis champion in the world. So why didn't he aspire to be a pro like the rest of his father's side of the family. Simple. Careers that depend on physical strength are too unstable. One broken wrist, one hit on the head and his life would be over. Plus, protégé doctors have more respect and power. They _treat _pros that break their wrists and get concussions. "Yes."

"Maybe you should take some time to review your skills."

"Sensei, if you don't think I'm capable of standing my ground on the field, just say so. I shouldn't be out there anyway. I should be in a lab examining the body." Ryoma accused formally, but with a hint of arrogance.

"Hm… that's not it. It's just that you should try to explore your surroundings a bit better. Being a workaholic takes all the fun out of life, especially at your age. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be involved in the case, but leave it to us once in a while. Japan can stand her ground, too. You shouldn't push yourself so hard."

"But—"

"Join the tennis team like Inui-kun. Leave DDS classes early. Make friends. Keep yourself updated on the case. That's an order."

"Y-yes, Sensei." Ryoma answered before he knew what he was doing.

------------------------

**Elsewhere,**

"I'm coming for you, Kitten-san, you won't have to worry yourself anymore."

-----------------------------------------

(1) Patients on chemotherapy usually have to where jackets or coats even in warm weather because of their lack of white blood cells to keep them warm.

Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! School has started piling up and I need to finish Vanity Fair to secure my A in English. Sorry if anything sounds weird, I've been high on old British English for the past few weeks. .


	9. Chapter 9

Rizaya Echizen was not a person _anyone _should mess with. He was, psychologically defined, a sadist. Maybe a psychopath too. He was never afraid to hurt anyone no matter how innocent or vulnerable. He always had someone looking after and tending to him. That person had to be, without doubt, his Kitten-san. So, as you can imagine, when his Kitten-san had to leave, Rizaya became angry. Very, very, angry.

"You call this food!" Rizaya yelled at the tormented chef as he spit the half chewed contents on his face. Tears were overflowing as she trembled cowering away from the demon in front of her. "A pig couldn't eat this shit!" he yelled again and she sobbed as he struck her on the side of her head, grabbed her hair and ripped out a portion of it. The rest of the cooks stuttered out of the kitchen into the hall.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the girl wailed clutching her head in pain, "I'll do better, I promise!"

"Promise? That's not good enough!"

"Rizaya-kun, let her go." A tall man with medium-length black hair spoke out.

"Ritsu-sensei, what a surprise," Rizaya threw the girl to the floor and she limped off at an alarmingly fast rate.

"I don't know the what kind of freedom you have been given during my—negligence—of your situation, but now that I'm back I cannot allow you to continue this kind of behavior." Ritsu-sensei stepped forward until he was standing right in front of Rizaya as if to say that their difference in height symbolizes his authority.

"I'm sorry," Rizaya said with mock compassion, "I didn't know you cared so much about poor, little ol' me." He laughed wickedly.

Ritsu-sensei glared at his insubordinate with cold eyes, but Rizaya just shrugged them off. "I understand that being away from your fighter is painful, but it does not excuse this kind of behavior."

Rizaya stood on the tip of his toes and reached up to Ritsu-sensei's neck. He smiled innocently and pleasantly, like a child. "You can't do anything to me. After all you are my le-gal gar-di-an." He drew out the last two words and added jokingly, "and I'm just a kid. I'm not responsible for whatever _I _do. That's your job."

Ritsu-sensei grabbed Rizaya by the shoulders and pinned him to the wall. He leaned in and Rizaya could feel the man's minty breath tickling his ear. "_Don't try to_ _take advantage of your place here, boy. I could easily kill you without letting anyone know anything!_" he hissed violently.

"Ryoma would notice," Rizaya whispered. His too carefree smile turned serious, "He would notice right away. And then he'd kill you in revenge."

Ritsu-sensei slammed him harder into the wall before pulling away. "I should never have given him to you. It was my mistake." He held his head in his hands in frustration before leaving.

_Don't worry. I'll come and get you Kitten-san. __**There's no way I'll let you live without me.**_

**--------------------------------**

"So what do we know about him so far?" Tezuka asked the regulars. They were in Ryuzaki's office after school. Tezuka had become very interested in the boy over the past few days. But it was only to make sure the tennis team survived Inui and Fuji's obsessions. Nothing else. Yet.

"This is tireing, nya, why are we even here?" Kikumaru yawned.

"Why are we discussing, this Sempai, it's obvious that brat doesn't want to hang out with us, his loss, let's just leave him." Momo spoke in the same tone.

"Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Inui asked evilly holding a pitcher of his latest poison. Momo whimpered and backed away.

"If we get him on our side who knows how much support we'll get. And he _is _kind of cute…" Fuji started. "in a submissive, childish, sort of way." Kaido ran off. Inui took out his notebook. Tezuka swallowed 4 aspirin pills. Momo and Kikumaru fainted. Taka said he just remembered he had to help his dad in the sushi restaurant.

Ryuzaki watched the regulars fooling around with a grim frown on her face. These kids didn't know what they were getting into. She knew Nanjirou almost too well from his childhood. She prided herself in being the coach of the best tennis player in the world. Nanjirou looked like he was all fun and games, but when he wanted to he could get pretty damn serious. It would be better for everyone if certain facts of his son and his family remained in confinement.

_You really don't want to know what happened._

_------------------------------_

Tezuka Kunimitsu was locking the door before going home with one of his daily teammate-caused headaches. It got worse the more he thought about tomorrow the worse the headache got. It could even get worse enough until he was hallucinating.

_"__Nya__Fijiko's__ scary!" Kikumaru cried and ran off trying to hide behind Momo. _

_"Hey, Sempai you should face him! You're the sempai! Get back here viper!" was heard from Momo as a catastrophe was set in motion just by three words that Fuji said. Tezuka stood in the sidelines by Inui who was jotting down notes._

The headache was back in full force turning into a migraine. If he was more alert and not in pain he would have noticed the dark figure by the bushes spring up and hit him on his head with the butt of a gun. Tezuka fell with a thud as the figure collected him.

---------------------------------

918 words…-.- disappointing, I know. What do you all think of Rizaya? I hope it's not too boring.


	10. Chapter 10

Oishi was walking to morning practice the next day as he usually did with a number of things on his mind. _Did Taka overwork himself? Has Eiji gotten enough sleep? Is __Tezuka's__ arm hurting him? What did Inui invent today? What if it's harmful to your health? What if Tezuka hurts his arm during practice? He might not be able to play tennis again!_ ex, ex…

He nervously went to open the gates only to find them locked. This significantly added to his paranoia since Tezuka was always first to come to school to unlock the gates and review the lineup for the upcoming match. The mother-hen quickly picked up his phone and dialed Ryuzaki's number faster than the speed of light.

[Oishi-kun? What are you calling me this early for? Tezuka made a deal that he would be in charge for today. Oishi? Are you there?

Oishi was frozen in place as key facts registered in his mind. _Tezuka… not here… supposed… in charge…locked…hurt. _

Eiji found Oishi collapsed by the school gates fifteen minutes later. Oishi was lying on his side facing the school with a broken cell phone parts around him. At first Eiji was really worried because his best friend and doubles partner was lying on the cold concrete unconscious in the cool morning air, but then when he got over the shock Eiji was overcome with an overwhelming urge to laugh. He tried to only giggle to hold it back…but…"HAHAHAHA!!! OISHI FAINTED!" followed by loud laughs that were heard in Germany.

"Where do you think he is?" Momo asked Fuji after they were safely inside when Inui showed up moments after Eiji finding Oishi on the ground and Eiji in uncontrollable fits of laughter, (Which he silenced by bringing out his latest, untested form of Inui Juice.) and promptly called Ryuzaki-sensei who was woken up from ker sleep for the second time in less than an hour.

"I can't say I'm not concerned," Ryuzaki coughed out. She informed everyone last-minute that practice would be canceled for today, "This really isn't like Tezuka. Have you checked his home?"

"Yes, his parents said they thought he stayed over at a friend's since he didn't come home last night," Fuji replied with a concern mixed into his voice that was not usually present.

"Do you think we should call the police since he didn't come home?" Eiji asked huddled up on the floor next to Oishi that was lying still unconscious.

"Yes…I think it's for the best."

A single thought passed through their head as they thought of some way to help find their beloved captain. The thought, as always, was their oh-so convenient kohai.

---------------------------------

"Yadda."

"What!?" all seven regulars minus one screamed as Ryoma calmly took out his textbooks.

"You heard me. No."

"Aren't you supposed to be a detective?!" Momo argued getting more irritated by the second.

"I work as a _medical assistant _for DDS. I only got a little detective training as backup. Legally speaking, the little detective work would be considered going against child labor laws," Ryoma explained, smartly leaving out the fact that the "little detective work" that he had done was in India where child labor laws are often ignored.

Eiji, who had never lost his temper before, grabbed Ryoma by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the lockers, "Our captain is missing and could be hurt or _dead_! How could you just stand there and not help us!" Eiji cried out angrily as Ryoma looked almost unfazed.

"Please get your hands off me before I charge you with assault, Kikumaru-senpai," when Eiji didn't flinch, Ryoma sighed and went on as bored as ever, "Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world and hundreds of people go missing every day. With so many search investigations going on already it would be perfectly reasonable if they didn't get to your captain for a couple of days. For me to bump you up would be an abuse of my power. Besides…I don't have anything to do with you anyway. I have my own problems to solve." Ryoma shoved Kikumaru away walked to class. Inui placed a hand on Kikumaru's shoulder and shook his head when he pleaded.

"He has a point, we should just be patient."

----------------------------------------

Ryoma kept on walking as if he didn't know what they were talking about. It was true. He didn't have anything to do with them. What did it there captain matter to him? He barely knew the guy. Okay, so he could pull a few strings and start a 5,000 men search party complete with satellite pictures and help from NASA if he wanted to, but why go through all the trouble? Senpais should learn to not try to take advantage of people and work with the resources they have at home, they _are _supposed to be models for the younger students after all. Ryoma didn't have the time or the energy to care, no matter how emotional their begging was.

A large amount of pain surged into his arm the familiar feeling of having someone peering into his mind entered him.

_"__Rizaya__?"_

_"Kitten-san!__ Finally, I got to you"_

_"What happened? You don't feel well."_

_"Oh, nothing big.__Same old.__ Speaking of feelings…"_

_"Ni-san?"_

_"I'm thinking of joining you."_

_"What!?"_A larger gash of pain surged up and Ryoma could feel his blood trying to exit his body.

_"You heard me, Kitten-san. I'm coming over. Things here are getting too complicated. Besides, there are more interesting things in your area, right?" _more pain and blood loss, _"Any objections?"_

_"None at all."_

----------------------------------

Heh, heh, heh. "runs away from angry mobs of fans with pitchforks" I guess I really blew it. This one is at least a bit longer than the last one. I have nothing more to say. "runs away sobbing"


	11. Chapter 11

The sakuras were blooming beautiful pink flowers when Ryoma was walking towards campus that afternoon. One of the blossoms happened to make it under his foot as he crushed it without looking back.

"Something happened, Echizen?" Kinta asked behind him overwhelmed by the coldness that Ryoma emitted, it even beat the one that Ryu had when they met him. Ryoma's eyes were filled with a gleam that matched a gangster or a serial killer better than a doctor, or even a police man. The specks of gold in his eyes had a dark gleam in the sunlight and he looked more feline than ever.

"You know," he continued when Ryoma looked like he was under no condition going to answer, "A detective once said 'if someone is too prepared and not the detective then he's the criminal' that kind of saved our lives back on a murder case a couple months back."

"I'm not a detective, do I count?" Ryoma said with cruel sarcasm, "Spare me, officer I don't wanna go to jail!" he whined mockingly automatically turning his airs from untouchable to sexy and available. Kinta took a step back. Neither of them said a word for the rest of the walk.

When the men reached campus Kinta quietly pointed out without looking at Ryoma that they had class in a separate building in the woods. Ryoma followed him satisfied at the lack of conversation.

Building was a bit of an exaggeration. Okay, it was an exaggeration. It turned out this "building" was more of a dilapidated old hut with overgrowth, cockroaches, and furniture that was older than his grandparents.

"We…study…here…?" Ryoma asked dumbfounded. He was expecting something more like a laboratory or at least something that had been remodeled in the last century.

"Yep. Don't complain or you'll be forced to stay afterschool and clean this place up. It's not like this place is actually used very often. Just when there's not a case or if we're staying anywhere in a twenty mile radius." Ryoma nodded as they attempted to enter without making the hut collapse on top of them.

"Good evening, Hongo-sensei!" Class Q cried out like they do every day when they greet Hongo-sensei. Hongo-sensei's expression was motionless as ever as he motioned with his hand for Ryoma to come forward.

"I don't believe I had the time to introduce him properly, this is Echizen Ryoma from the famous Echizen Group—"

"No way! Echizen, you're from _that_ Echizen!

"You never told us that!"

"Can I come over to one of your houses once, _please?_"

"SILENCE!!!" Hongo-sensei shouted in his gruff, commanding, voice making

the entire room mute before he even said the whole word. Ryoma was more about the structure than his peers' reaction to his newfound lineage.

"As I was _saying,_ Echizen-sensei, as you will refer to him, is here to be our new medical assistant on orders from Dan-sensei so you can all learn some more responsibility and experience as a proper detective group. Please treat him as your superior." The room was still silent as ordered while Ryoma went back to his seat.

Hongo-sensei took out a few blown up photos of some corpses and clipped them to the wall. Megu cringed at the sight because of her well-known photographic memory. Literally, scarred for life. _There's something I'm proud not to have. __Che_

"Echizen-kun, what does this look like to you?" he asked.

"Gunshot wound on the lower back and head. She probably died of swelling to the brain once the bullet penetrated her skull. I can't say more without a proper examination," Ryoma explained as business-like as he could (which is a lot.)

"I'll get you one," he sighed, "Now, I'll leave you to discuss among yourselves. Once you've made a decision contact me," with that, he left the room.

"Kazuma, do you have any scenarios?" Ryu asked. Kazuma, who had been typing ferociously on his laptop turned the screen so that it was facing the board while everyone crowded around to see the latest software he produced.

"If Echizen-sensei's assumptions are correct—"

"Ryoma, please," Ryoma interrupted sheepishly.

"—Ryoma, sorry, then it would probably look something like this." The screen showed a 3D video of a women running away from a black figure with a gun. He fired and hit her on the back. When she stumbled and fell he ran up and fired again this time aiming for her head. Then he ran away.

"That looks accurate," Ryu commented.

"Cool! When did you get the time to make this?!" Kyu remarked while Ryu shot him a glance telling him to stay on task.

"I made the program a long time ago. After that the rest is really simple." Kazuma said in a bored voice.

"Megu, are you alright?" Kinta asked with concern at the pale figure that hadn't spoken.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," her eyes were brimming with tears and she choked back a sob.

"It's okay, it's okay," Kinta reassured her.

"Ummm, guys? Can I go ask Hongo-sensei to schedule a proper examination?"

"Sure," said Ryu suspiciously before going back to examining the scenarios.

Ryoma quietly left knowing no one would notice his leave. He then headed to the door and left without looking back.

Unbeknownst to him, he had been noticed and the shady figure looked at him from a window, completely safe with only one thought in his mind. _Why the hell are you back?_

------------------------------------

"So it's true, Nanami?" Dan-sensei's eyes scrunched up in frustration, "There's no other way?

"None that I see, sir," the man sighed in defeat.

"Are you sure you've exhausted all your resources?"

"Well, there is one other option…"


	12. Chapter 12

"He's scary…"

"He's _hot_!"

"How old is he?"

"_At least_ sixteen!"

An enormous crowed was parked outside a clean, jet black limo. The man that stepped out of it in a five thousand dollar suit looked mature, well off, and handsome. If you have all that, then why not just ignore the dull emotionless eyes and the crooked snicker that was only too real.

The man stopped and smiled at the fan girls that were being held back by several body guards of whom he paid no attention to. _Can you feel my presence Kitten-san? I'm going to bring you back to where you belong. _

"Er…Echizen-san," the principal of Seigaku greeted the man nervously as a drop of sweat trickled down the side of his right cheek, gathered at the bottom of his jaw-bone and hurtled to the ground, "What brings you down here of all places?"

"May I ask where my brother is, Koujema-sensei? (AN: That's not his real name, but it was never mentioned)

"Um…um…Echizen-kun doesn't participate in any afterschool activities," he breathed out with some effort.

"Really? That's strange, Ryoma isn't the type to skip out on success like that," _And he would have told me._ Rage and confusion started to bubble inside his stomach. Kitten-san had kept a secret from him. This is bad. Very, _very_bad. Exceptionally bad.

"Could you please give me his address?" the man asked calmly, but with a dangerous edge to his voice, subtle, but easy to catch. Especially to the person it was pointed at.

The man thanked the principal and set off for DDS campus with a wild look in his eyes.

-------------------------------------------------

Ryoma shuddered when he felt his brother within a ten mile radius. _Oh god, oh god, oh god,_

"Echizen, aren't you supposed to be back with the rest of your team?" Ryoma's head flew around towards the source of the sound.

"I was just looking for you, Hongo-sensei," Ryoma said, "I was wondering if you could schedule the autopsy sometime today as soon as possible."

"Why the rush?"

"No reason, I just want to resolve this case as soon as possible."

"Really? You're breathing hard Ryoma."

"Please just get me the autopsy, Hongo-sensei."

"I'll see what I can do," Hongo-sensei looked at Ryoma for a while before leaving.

"Ryoma you're back," Kazuma stated when he went back, "What happened to you?"

"Huh?" Ryoma looked at the mirror and noticed his red cheeks and tangled hair, "Nothing, just needed a run to calm down," Ryoma lied effortlessly.

"Alright, we've decided that Kinta and Kyu should go and talk to the victim's family for any leads. Ryu and Megu will check the crime scene again for anything that we could have missed, and I'll research her to see if she's been in the system before. You can…wait for your autopsy," Kazuma smiled apologetically.

"Okay," Ryoma nodded and took a seat.

Katagiri-sensei knocked on the door before entering, "Echizen, there's someone here to see you, he claims to be your brother," _Oh god, oh __fuckin__' god. _

A bit shorter this time around, but I ended it with a cliffy. I think it's pretty obvious who "the man" is. I'd like to take this spot to thank my wonderful reviewers:

**IceAlkhuan**

**hpets**

**artist-girl731**

**KawaiiAlthea**

**otakuzen**

**natsume18**

**animelava**

**RuByMoOn17**

**AlessandraSanchez**

**h****eex**

**forgotten****hyoshi**

Thank you all for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

"Echizen is there anything wrong?" Katagiri-sensei asked noticing the glazed look in Ryoma's eye.

"What? Oh! Nothing wrong, sensei. I'm very happy to see him," Ryoma blurted out in a rush as he raced outside.

Rizaya was there in all his glory wearing a suit and expression that made him look at least three years older. He had a smirk that made the hairs on the back of Ryoma's neck stand up and his primitive instincts recognize a predator.

"Been a while, eh Kitten-san," Rizaya laughed in a way that did not match the situation. The laugh hung in the air, innocent, childish, and friendly, but still so dangerous, "I finally managed to get to you. Ritsu-sensei and the rest of them had quite a scare back in school! You should have seen them quivering when I heard they sent you to Japan without any notice, it was so funny!" he laughed again. Ryoma wanted to take a step backwards, but his muscles resisted. He had no doubt that Rizaya knew his emotions and was using them to capture him. Ryoma couldn't resist.

"So you're working with the DDS Japan campus, I see. Shouldn't we talk this over with a cup of coffee? **Come.**" The last word was a spell and Ryoma felt it. (AN: Loveless, spells are used to control/harm enemy. Manipulate. When a spell takes effect the other person almost unconsciously does what the person says. More syllables, stronger spell. Ryoma is affected because Rizaya is his "sacrifice" aka owner, leader, During fights Rizaya tells Ryoma what to do, Ryoma fights by spell, Rizaya takes all damage. Search Wiki Loveless) Before he knew what was happening, Ryoma was a couple of steps behind Ryoma heading to the local Starbucks. They gave their orders, to regular coffees, and took their seats. The air pressure was heavy and no one said a word between them.

Ryoma sat there like a mute idiot with his hands on his knees waiting for something to happen. It did.

Three police men and a detective marched in with handcuffs. "Echizen, Rizaya, you are under arrest for domestic violence, murder, rape, sexual assault, and obstruction of justice. You have the right to remain silent."

"What the hell?" both brothers exclaimed as the police officers led Rizaya out the restaurant and into the back of the police car with both hands behind his back.

One of the men looked familiar, _Wait a minute…_ "You're Nanami-sensei, Dan-sensei's assistant!" Ryoma cried.

The police officer backed away, and motioned for the other two officers to drive away. He grabbed Ryoma's hand almost viciously and dragged him to a nearby alley, where he proceeded to push Ryoma back to the wall. "How did you recognize me?" he demanded.

Ryoma rubbed his arm that had hit the brick. It was probably bruising, "A couple of years ago, New York Campus, you came to give a lecture. I wouldn't forget, 

the entire school had to study Japanese so hard I think Kevin's ass can say 'arigato' by now."

"God, kid… okay. Fine. Just don't go around announcing my name like that. You might blow my cover when it's really important. Now," His eyes narrowed, "What is your relationship with Echizen Rizaya?"

"He's my brother, not that it's any of your business. Why did you arrest him?" Ryoma's voice got harsh and cold at the end. He knew that Nanami was his superior and that he shouldn't be acting so disrespectfully, (bad reputation equals bad connection with parents) but when it came to the wellbeing of Rizaya Ryoma kind of got a bit emotional. It was his duty to fight for him after all.

"Rizaya is a suspect in a string of murders. He might be connected in the killing and kidnapping of over one hundred people. It's a new record. If you know anything don't hesitate to tell. The public may think you're a dream family, but I know better." Murders? Kidnappings? One _hundred _of them? Why hadn't he ever told him? As cruel as it may sound, this did sound Rizaya-ish. He always was pretty fond of blood.

"I believe my brother has no connection to any of this nonsense, Nanami-sensei, and please try to stay out of my family affairs," Ryoma responded, "May I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"For my case. I need to get a no-restrictions autopsy of Sugasaki Meiko. Today."

"I'll get it for you. Friends?" Nanami held out his hand as a kindergarten teacher might do to a shy student.

_Don't bet your dick on it._

--

Ryoma was standing in a laboratory examining a corpse while other students (the youngest being 10 years old) were staring at him with wide eyes as he examined the dead flesh without flinching or looking any different than he usually did. They had been brought in to watch Ryoma do the autopsy as an "educational experience". Most of the time the rest of the school used fake, plastic, dolls and computers. The professor explaining every single breath Ryoma took was very annoying. Nanami-sensei had a cunning way of granting favors. Sure, the autopsy was no-restrictions, but with the thirty something kids watching your every move and a professor examining your every move he might as well brought in the entire Diet and broadcasted the autopsy all over Japan.

Ryoma tried to ignore the urge to take a chemical and spill it all over their heads as he sliced another opening to the woman's back. He searched for the next ten minutes and found the bullet lodged between some tissue through her heart. The lady didn't stand a chance after the first bullet. The killers hadn't needed a second one. After attempting to stitch her back up a bit, he carefully flipped her over on to her back leaving her naked front completely exposed. Some "ew!"s and "gross!"s ensued accompanied by whispers and uncertain murmurs in the audience. _Take this "educational experience"!_ Ryoma hid a laugh as he slowly moved down to the woman's thighs and put down his scalpel, taking a q-tip and swabbing it over her nether regions until he got a large enough sample. Protests continued. Ryoma let out a chuckle as the professor tried to calm everyone down.

--

How is it? I'm not sure how much of that stuff medical examiners really do, so if you find anything wrong please let me know. Review! I'll be looking forward to it :)


	14. Chapter 14

Ryoma headed to the prison to see how his brother was doing while he waited for the answers to some of the tests that he had performed. His brother was probably fuming by now at all these accusations. It's not like Ryoma could guarantee that he was innocent, or even believe for a second that he was innocent, but Ryoma still could not let Rizaya suffer any more than was necessary. And _this_ definitely did not count as necessary.

Ryoma didn't get too far however, before a female voice from behind was screaming at him,

"ECHIZEN RYOMA, HOW _DARE _YOU?!"

"—Megu… calm down, he was just doing his job, please, people are staring…"

"HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN?! HE PRACTICALLY RAPED THAT WOMAN!!"

_Oh God,_ Ryoma thought. There goes his revenge coming to bite him right back in the ass. By now every pedestrian, shop owner, and person inside their apartment had come outside and was staring with confusion, wonder, and disgust at the screaming high school girl with a cowardly boy trying to preserve his ears and face. If there was anything Ryoma hated more than fan girls and nosy people it would probably have to be this.

In response to survival instinct Ryoma quickly ran up to Megumi and smothering her mouth with his hand attempted meagerly to carry her to an emptier street with Kyu's help. After many bruises and humiliations he managed to get her away from everybody looking away from cell phone cameras.

"_What the hell did you think you were doing?_" Ryoma hissed pushing the pink haired girl to the floor. "I wouldn't be surprised if I show up on the news tomorrow!"

"Excuse me? How can you say what _I _did was bad when you raped a dead girl's body?!"

"Rape? Sorry girl, but I'm no necrophile," Contrary to popular belief among his classmates, Ryoma truly did prefer life. He just was in a better mood when people let him figure out what hurt them without moving or talking. "Where did you hear that bull?"

"It's all over school! You did it in front of the D Class students!" Megumi retaliated indignantly.

"I took a swab to test for any particles that I couldn't see. That's all. I don't know what else you heard, but it's _not true_. Understood?"

"Yes sir," said Megumi mockingly, picking herself off the floor. Ryoma sighed with relief and asked Kyu what time it was.



"Almost 5 o clock,"

"Shit!" so much for paying a visit to his brother.

--

"Should we notify the police?" Oishi asked again for the fiftieth time in two days.

"Echizen said he wasn't willing to help so there's no real point," Kaido answered.

"I don't care. Genius billionaire, or whatever that brat is, he should learn some respect!" Momo exclaimed standing up, "Even if I have to teach him myself."

"Momo!" Fuji shouted and paused, rethinking, "Let me come with you."

_Oh Tezuka,_ Sumire shook her head. _If only you could see what catastrophe your team is turning into now._

--

Ryoma took his time walking back to the lab. After all, the results weren't going anywhere. Megumi, Kyu, and the rest of them had decided to go back to their meeting room to discuss some other puzzles or detective things that Ryoma didn't care about.

He was being followed, if that woman in a blue dress behind him wasn't a clue. Nanami really needed to learn a lesson. Ryoma broke into a run purposely bumping into people so that the cross-dresser couldn't follow him.

"Echizen-sensei, we found something in her vagina," a doctor told him when he came in. "It appears to be semen."

"So she was raped."

"Not necessarily. There isn't any trauma or bruises in her nether regions."

"So she must have a boyfriend or be a prostitute. Now the tough part is searching her home."

"Woa, that's not my territory. Or yours. Better leave that to the detectives," he warned.

"Good thing I have connections then." Ryoma sounded way more confident than he felt. After the way he screwed Megumi, he'd be lucky if she ever granted him permission to see another crime scene. Ryoma liked to know what's going on. That way he could prepare for being sued by whoever decided what he did was "immoral" or "wrong". Not knowing what was happening was as good as being blind and Ryoma _hated_ being blind.

Ryoma gulped. _I guess it's begging time._

--

"Please! It might lead to who killed her!"

"Ryu, please, there's a chance!" Kyu protested on Ryoma side and Ryoma was almost grateful.

"No, no way. There's no way I can get this through Hongo," Ryu stated calmly. "I don't trust you."

Ryoma opened his mouth then closed it again. "This isn't about personal feelings; it's about solving a murder. And I have something that can help."

"This isn't about you, isn't it? This is about what I and every other person in this room _but_ you think. You see, _Ryoma_, your job is to examine all the bodies that the Tokyo police department and DDS gives you. It's _Kazuma's_ job to dissect computers. Got it or not?"

Ryoma remained speechless. _I know I've seen that face somewhere._

"Fine you win. Give me the results when you're done." Ryoma hated losing more than being tortured by the Taliban.

Kyu came up to him and apologized sheepishly. Ryoma punched a hole through the wall.

--

The following week Class Q and Ryoma got together again to discuss the results. Ryoma would have rather had an email or just give the results to some random assistant and tell them to get back to him, but he didn't get his way. Ryoma was noticing that he was being overruled more and more often.

"She exchanged emails with a 'Kunimistu Tezuka'," Ryu stated.

"There's a Tezuka in Seishun Gakuen," Ryoma stated.

"I'll ask Sensei if one of _us _can go investigate." By "us" Ryoma knew that Ryu meant the detectives. Ryoma had no say in anything. Oh, they'll see who's in charge.

"Do you think the semen is his?"

"Good chance."

"Alright then," Ryoma stood up with finality, "I guess this discussion is over."


	15. Chapter 15

"You have one phone call," the officer told Rizaya when they shoved him in a room with ten other police men. They still hadn't taken off his handcuffs and they didn't look like they were planning to. The judge would hear about this. Police brutality, with some effort he could make the case. Nevertheless, he forced himself to stay quiet and take the call. He decided to call the Sohma family, his relatives.

The Sohmas were another family that ruled the world behind Prime Minister's back. His mother came from that family and if they didn't send the world's best lawyer then news would spread fast enough so that another branch of the family would send someone instead.

"Who is it?" Rizaya asked when someone answered his call. He had to be careful with what he said and who he said it to because and he was certain that the call was being monitored.

The person on the other end who must have taken the hint replied, "Master's sixteenth cousin-in-law's mother's sister's nephew under oath."

Oh. The Rooster. Rizaya didn't know his real name, but he knew the fact that he was often compared to a rooster for some strange reason. "The Rooster" was Akito-sama's loyal minion who would probably eat someone else's crap if Akito told him to without hesitation. Not the person he's been hoping for, but the guy only went out twice a year anyway. "Tell the outsider to call him. There's a problem scandal in the Echizen's. Don't let us down." "The outsider" meant Shigure. He was one of the few people in that blasted clan that dared to live outside of the "main house" and pursue his own career without thinking of what Akito-sama cared about. Rizaya didn't like to get involved with those people. Things kept getting very messy in the Sohma affairs. It was always meetings and rituals and "if you like them you hate me".

"I'll make sure to do so. Good luck." and the line went dead.

--

Ryoma was pacing outside Seigaku wondering how he could get the tennis regulars to talk to him again. Only a few days ago he managed to disregard them perfectly. Now, he needed to get them to open up and tell him all they knew about Tezuka. Class Q wasn't being any better either. _Why couldn't they at least have sent someone with me? Interviewing isn't my forte!_ Ryoma groaned in frustration, but decided to just get it over with.

He paced into the courts with more confidence than he was feeling. What he was feeling were the eyes of all the players turning towards him as he walked towards Oishi feigning determination. He took a deep breath and asked, "Oishi-san may I ask you a few questions about your friend, Tezuka-kun?"

Oishi, who happened to practicing by himself against a wall, was startled to say the least. He gave the ball another strong whack. It bounced back with unreal speed and zoomed right over Ryoma's head. _So this is how murders of passion are committed. _"So now you've started caring?"

Ouch. How did those people do these things? "Evidence has been found linking Tezuka-kun to another case DDS is working on. I need as much information as you have so that we can find him before anything bad happens to him." Oishi froze for a moment. Did it work? When Ryoma was working with some detectives in California they used that phrase and it got him to spill everything he knew. Ryoma wasn't sure how well he pulled it off, but the reaction looked promising.

"What do you mean by 'bad'?" Oishi asked like a worried mother. Ah-ha. The phrase did work.

"I'm not sure about the details and I'm not really allowed to tell you much," Ryoma started. He pushed his voice to the perfection of indifference, nonchalance, and just a hint of mockery. "Confidential, you know? Who knows, he could be dying as we speak. The sooner we can get to him the better. You could help. He's your friend, isn't he?" Sentimentality was supposed to work too. Or it could come back and kick him in the ass.

Oishi broke. "I don't know that much about Tezuka's life outside tennis. He's extremely quiet almost _stoic_. He isn't antisocial though, he can talk to people. I think that Fuji and I are his closest friends in the world."

"I see, so Fuji and Tezuka are close?"

"Yes, they have an uncanny ability to know when they feel up to a tennis match. They've been rivals since they first joined the team."

Stoic, Fuji, rivals. Good. Now for the hard part. "Has Tezuka been talking to any women, lately?" Was he too blunt?

Apparently he was. Oishi's eyes almost jumped out of his sockets. "N-no. Why?" Stuttering. Did that mean anything? He would have to talk to Fuji. Not today, this interviewing stuff was hard.

--

"How did he say it?" Ryu demanded when he shared what information he got from Oishi.

"I don't know! He stuttered a bit and looked surprised."

"Did he look surprised at your question or at the thought of his friend with a woman?"

"Do I look like a mind reader to you?! How am I supposed to know!" Ryoma shouted.

"By listening and watching! Don't you have any _training_?"



"NO! I'm a doctor. I look at flesh and bone and identify things. I don't deal with people on the field," Ryoma took a deep breath to calm himself before starting again, a bit more reasonably this time, "I don't think it was really professional for you to let me interview Oishi without a specialist, at least."

Ryu bit the side of his cheek. "All right," he answered curtly. "From now on you'll see nothing but your lab."

"I don't think it's your place to make that decision."

"But I know someone who can."

"Then consult them. I'll be checking the results of the DNA test."

"I've already seen it. There's a good chance it's your Tezuka's." When did it become "his Tezuka"? "Don't bother. _I'll_ go interview Fuji-kun myself. You go look at that woman's body more closely. See if you can find anything else."

"Yes, sir."

--

I'm _soooo_ sorry! There isn't really a good excuse for not writing this sooner other than laziness. Now that school's out I have more time to write. Forgive me! ;-)


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry for the shortness again. This would have been up yesterday, but there was a problem with my computer. Remember to review, please!

"This is your last chance, Echizen. _How did you plan the murders?_" Ryu slammed both hands down on the metal table. Rizaya suspected that it was for dramatic effect, but he wasn't impressed. Even the photos scattered in front of him showing all sorts of mutilated and dismembered bodies in every state imaginable didn't faze him. He had hoped that Japan could do better than send I high school kid to interrogate him. He'll be out in a week at most.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't murder anybody," Rizaya said the rehearsed statement with false honesty.

The kid looked like he was going to cry. Rizaya loved messing with those types. "Does the name Pluto mean anything to you?"

The kid knew more than he let on. "No, should it?" Rizaya murmured teasingly.

"Take your clothes off."

Police brutality and sexual assault, perhaps little bro had planned this on purpose. He was always smart like that.

"_Take your clothes off._" The kid repeated angrily.

No joke?

--

Ryu barely managed to get out of the interrogation room fast enough. He knew some suspects could be stubborn, but damn! Ryoga was a different story. He knew everything and knew he that _he _knew everything, but he was smart enough to be aware that without more evidence or a direct confession he was untouchable.

Ryoga's voice was still ringing in his head. _No, should I?_ Echizen was taunting him, and if there was anything that Ryu hated more than anything else it was people playing with his head.

Needless to say, Ryu was in a bad room when he went just as he promised, to interview Fuji. He walked up to the tennis courts taking deep breaths and trying to appear calm when he asked a first year to point him to Fuji.

Fuji was currently playing a match against another third year with thick, square, glasses that looked like he was twenty. It irked him to see how devoted these children were to tennis. It was crazy! People were cheering and protesting, fainting, hell, even the players looked ready to cry. _Now I see why the trend didn't catch on._ He meant the Echizen family of course.

Ryu decided to wait it out and appear friendly, rather than pull out his notebook and have the entire team lining up for interrogation and DNA swabs. He never was good with the whole 

"friend" approach, but he thought that maybe it was worth the try; this being a national level sports team and all.

Or at least that's what he thought an hour and a half ago. Now he was ready to put a gun to his head if he heard the _crack_ of a ball hitting concrete at forty miles per hour again. Luckily, the match ended with four-eyes collapsing from exhaustion before Ryu could take the safety off. Ryu took this opportunity to rush to the boy before the next four hour ball game.

"Hello, Fuji, is it?" Ryu took out his DDS notebook, signaling that he was a member of the police department and continued again casually, "I'm Ryu from the Tokyo police department and I'm wondering if I could ask you a few questions regarding Tezuka-kun privately?"

The feminine man stopped wiping the sweat off his neck and looked at him with open cerulean blue eyes. Ryu didn't realize that the boy's eyes were closed the entire match. Surprisingly enough, Fuji agreed.

When they were farther away from the courts, Ryu asked Fuji, "How long have you known Tezuka-kun?"

"A bit over three years. Have you found anything about him?"

Ryu smiled, "No, not yet. You're close?"

"Closer than a lot of people."

"Before his disappearance, did you notice anything off, was he acting strange?"

"No, he wasn't. Just as stoic as usual."

"Anything else out of place? Someone watching you? Anything?"

"No, nothing at all."

Ryu looked deadpanned. "Was Tezuka-kun seeing any women?"

Fuji opened his eyes again, "What?" he said sharply.

"Does he know any older women?"

"The only women he knows are under sixteen or over forty." Fuji was looking at him like he was crazy. That said a lot.

"Does he have any enemies?"



"He and Atobe were rivals, but they respected each other too much for them to hurt themselves. Maybe you should try Rikaidai." Atobe? As in Atobe Corporation? A family like that had a lot of power, certainly enough to arrange a kidnapping. He would check there first and then see what was going on at Rikaidai. A rival team would have motive. Ryu thanked Fuji and went back to evaluate the scenarios with the rest of the team.


	17. Chapter 17

Guess, what? Tomorrow (or today depending on where you live) is my birthday and in honor of that fact (or to just get my rear end moving) I decided to work very hard and post another chapter. This one is even a bit longer by about 200 words. Another BNtaWB is coming out soon, too.

Ryoma knew about law. He read a couple of books on his own time and one of his friends back in America, Samantha, was well on her way to becoming lawyer herself. He knew that she would highly disapprove of him drinking whiskey on campus of a school filled with law enforcement hopefuls waiting to catch someone and prove themselves.

Yet, he was still sitting with his back to the concrete wall of the building downing whiskey like water. _I'm too young for this. Where did New York go? God, I sound like a sixty year old._ He thought hazily underneath the comforting cloud of alcohol. Ryoma downed another bottle and promptly passed out.

When he woke up, he heard a female voice yelling. She sounded angry.

"Just look at him! Getting himself drunk over a lost interview, boo-hoo-hoo. I should have beat him up when I got the chance!" A sharp kick hit his ankles. That hurt.

Another voice chimed in. "Calm down Megu. You're going to regret this."

"Maybe later, but now it would _really_ make me feel a lot better." Ah, Megumi, girls do hold grudges for a long, long, time. The other voice must be Kazuma. He was always around Megu. Ryoma didn't have the strength to protest. Damn hangovers.

"He should just grow up!" Another kick. Ryoma groaned in protest.

Kazuma knelt down beside Ryoma and gently slapped his cheeks. "Ryoma, can you hear me? You got yourself too drunk." Ryoma emitted another groan, this time louder.

"Good, can you stand up? Here, let me help you." Kazuma wrapped one arm around Ryoma's torso and the other arm on the inside of his arm, trying vainly to help him up. The room started spinning as soon as he managed to steady himself. "Megu, _please_."

She pouted and dragged him into his apartment a little too forcefully. She threw him on the bed and he fainted on contact.

--

Ryu was on the internet looking up all there was on the Atobes. So far there was nothing suspicious. Only withdrawals and deposits, business meetings, dinner parties, and the worse they got was a shareholder that sued them for stealing money. The case was "thoroughly investigated" and the police found nothing.

Apparently, just like Fuji said, their son was a very talented tennis player and was well on his way to make it to the nationals. If perhaps there was anything that could serve as an obstacle in his way, that could be a motive for murder. Tezuka was his rival on a team that was slowly rising. If Tezuka was involved in any way with Sugasaki Meiko Atobe could 

have hired a hit man to assassinate her and kidnap Tezuka to prevent him from competing. It seemed like a logical theory.

Ryu shut down the computer and went to bed.

--

Ryoma didn't know how long he had been sleeping, but he didn't have a headache when he woke up. He checked the alarm clock by his bed. 9:34. So he had been asleep for a little over a day.

Grudgingly, Ryoma got up and went to the nearest sushi restaurant to get something to eat. The empty whiskey bottles were still outside his door.

He didn't get far, though. The moment he was about to step out of campus. Happy-go-lucky Kyu was all over him.

"So you're finally, awake?" he badgered, "That's great! I decided to make my down here because it's the weekend and I have nothing better to do. Besides, it's fun helping out with the case and all. Did you find anything in the forensics? I hope so, I feel really bad for that girl. I checked out the family, they said that she was dating an athlete, but I'm not sure if it's Tezuka. Is it true that you drunk yourself unconscious for two days?"

How could people talk so much?! It was excruciating. With tons of more patience than Ryoma really possessed, he managed to answer, "Yes. I did get drunk. What did the family say?"

So much for breakfast.

"Ryu said to meet back in the classroom to discuss. He says that he has another theory too."

"When's the meeting going to start?"

"In ten minutes." Joy.

--

"What did everyone find?" Ryu asked the class.

"The semen matches the DNA on Tezuka's racket." Ryoma answered.

"The family said that she was dating an athlete, but they didn't know who he was." Kyu added.

"Kazuma, what did you find?"

Kazuma was typing away on his laptop as if nothing else in the world existed. "Wait a second…here. She's a first year student at Tokyo University studying to become a doctor. She wasn't doing too well. Lost her scholarship."



"Alright then," Ryu decided, "I'll check on Atobe. Kyu, you and Kinta go find out what Rikaidai knows, and Kazuma and Megu see what friends she has at the school. Ryoma… get your brother to accept a deal." Figures, your brother gets charged with the Guinness world record amount of murders and youhave to be the one to get suspended. Ryoma curtly nodded.

He really needed to get something to eat.

--

After eight burgers from McDonalds, Ryoma went down to the jailhouse. Rizaya was lying on a cot by the wall pretending to be asleep.

"Nice of you to finally show up, Kitten-san," he said still not moving or opening his eyes.

"I'm still working on another case. Do you need any help making bail?"

"No, the date of the trial hasn't been arranged yet."

"They want me to convince you to take a deal or confess."

"Ryu, that other guy came by yesterday. I messed with him a bit."

"I figured. Listen, you need to be mo—"

"Sagasaki Meiko, is it?"

"What?"

"The woman you're investigating. Her name is Sagasaki Meiko, right?"

"How did you know that?"

Rizaya got up made his way to Ryoma. "There are a lot of things about the family that you don't know about."

"Then tell me."

"You won't understand. But I can tell you this, you should talk more to that Ryu kid. Nanjirou will like that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Exactly. You should leave, now. Maybe you can get the prosecution to speed up, get me a trial already."

"I-I'll see what I can do."



"Good. Now, go do that. Wouldn't want to drown the kitten in the basket would we?"

Ryoma was already out of earshot.

--

Tokyo U was huge. Really, really huge. Kazuma and Megu didn't know where to start.

"According to the map, the office is this way. Just follow me," Kazuma said.

In fewer minutes than Megu anticipated, the pair found the administrative office. A woman was waiting at the desk. She looked at them skeptically before asking, "What can I help you with?"

Megu showed them her badge since Kazuma could barely see over the counter. "Can you tell us about Sagasaki Meiko?"

"She was taking Biology, Chemistry, Physiology, Japanese, and English. I can lead give you a tour of this place or if there are any problem's the dean's office close by, maybe you can talk to him?"

"No thank you ma'am, we don't need anything else."


	18. Chapter 18

"She had a boyfriend, but she was seeing Tezuka on the side," Kazuma told Kinta on their way to McDonald's after talking to Meiko's friends.

"I know! He found out that she was cheating, killed her, and kidnapped Tezuka. The jerk's probably torturing him right now!" Kinta cried out causing the other customers to look at their direction for a few seconds.

"There's no proof of that, Kinta. You can't make guesses like that without any evidence. Sit down!" Kazuma whispered ferociously.

"If my boyfriend cheated on me I'd be angry, but not _that_ angry." Megu contemplated before taking bite out of a French fry.

"It has to be him! I have this _feeling_. Besides Megu, you don't even have a boyfriend." Megu glared at him and threw another French fry at him.

"Here's an idea," said Kazuma while getting up and packing his laptop, "Let's get out of this public place where everybody can hear every confidential word you're saying and go back to campus where we could discuss options, and, oh, I don't know, _ask permission to bring him in._"

To avoid the stares aimed at them from all directions, Kazuma, Kinta, and Megu decided to take his advice.

--

"There's nothing I can do for you, Ryoma, I'm sorry," Ristu-sensei whispered to the phone so quietly that Ryoma could barely hear him on the other end.

"I just need some money, 2 billion for bail," Ryoma pleaded. This better get him somewhere.

"For your Sacrifice (AN see bottom). The Sohmas passed down the news. You're quite famous in the black market," Ristu had an edge to his voice that practically guaranteed that something was going to go bad.

"You wouldn't..." Ryoma spouted in disbelief, this was impossible.

"I wouldn't, of course. But you would, if you had to." Oh, no. He did not like where this was going. It was true. He would. He had to.

"Not now. I-I have a case, and I need to get back to America to see Kevin and Samantha a-and, and—"

"I get it. You're _somewhat_ trustworthy, Ryoma. At least I know you're not about to strangle me with your bare hands at any moment. How about I get you, say, one billion. We'll discuss your repayment at _a later date_." He hung up.

Ryoma's insides froze. He couldn't fail like this. He quickly dialed the number of the Sohma main house.

"Ryoma?" Akito-sama picked up, "What a surprise. What brings you to call your least favorite number in the world?"

"A-Akito-sama?" Once again Ryoma felt a loss of breath, "You've started answering the phone, I see."

"Is it such a surprise? What with the curse disabled and all, I've found a lot more free time. I can go out, see the world for once."

"That's good for you. Do you by any chance do business with a Sagasaki Meiko and a Tezuka Kunimitsu?"

"Why do you ask?" Ryoma could tell by the haunting edge in his laugh that Akito knew something and liked it. Of course, if Akito liked something it would most likely harm Ryoma.

"Because it matters."

"Poor girl, that Meiko-chan. She got in over her head and her boyfriend suffered for it."

"What happened, Akito. _Tell me_."

"Oh no, Ryoma don't try to control me. She was just in amateur business. Illegal advertising, steroids, drugs, that sort of thing."

"And what does a fourteen year old boy have to do with amateur business, Akito-sama?"

"Think, Ryoma-chan. Use that educated brain of yours. Tezuka wanted to make sure his team won the nationals. Meiko had what he needed. What do you think would happen."

"Wouldn't that usually be the coach's job?"

"The kid was young, determined, and older looking. That's all he needed. Give a boy a gun, you know all about that Ryoma." Don't go there, Akito, don't go there.

"…but your brother can handle that." Good.

"Thank you, Akito-sama. Your help is very appreciated, a can assure you of that."

"I wish this call was being recorded. No one is going to believe that _Ryoma Echizen_ apologized to me of all people!" _Shit. How did he know?_

"You have to do better than that, boy. But don't get your knickers in a bunch, I will be willing to give you a loan of 50 percent. You have the means to produce the remaining money. Everything I told you is true and the proof is dancing naked in front of you. Sayonara, boy and you can feel free to remind Ritsu of my generosity."

"I will." Ryoma got out of there before it could get any worse.

--

Ryoma was walking down to the shack thinking up of a convincing story to tell Ryu so he would convince Hongo-sensei to search for evidence of a drug bust involving Meiko. In the end, he settled to just tell him the truth and hope (with 50,000 yen and a on call) for the best.

Yeah right.

"Let me get this straight, Echizen. You called the leader of the Sohma house and borrowed 500 million yen. He also told you that Sagasaki Meiko was involved with the export and import of drugs and illegal steroids and that "'the proof is dancing naked in front of you.'" Ryu said exceptionally unconvinced.

"Yes." Things just got better and better.

"I see."

"You see."

Ryu laughed lightly, "I can't believe you, Echizen. Who's side are you on?"

"I can say the same thing about you."

Ryu came up to him their faces mere centimeters apart. His breath smelled of peppermint. "Prove it."

"No. But you can prove this. I don't have the authority to conduct investigations, but you can. This isn't about us, it's about Tezuka and Meiko." Ryoma's voice was professional and devoid of any emotion other than analysis. He didn't care what Ryu wanted.

"All right Echizen, I'll take your word for it this time. I want 500 thousand."



Oh to hell with it, he was a target anyway, "Deal. Keep your promise."

For now, there was a truce. No way would it last.

--

AN: in Loveless there are couples that engage in a "spell" battle of sorts using words. In these couples there is a Fighter, the partner that says the spells, and a Sacrifice, the partner that tells the Fighter what to do and receives all the damage from the spells inflicted upon the Fighter. Think BDSM without the bondage Fighter-sub Sacrifice-dom


	19. Chapter 19

I have decided to instead of continuing the story for the time being, I'm going to revise some the existing chapters because after going through some of them, I've concluded that some are too general, drabble-ish, and just plain bad. To console anyone who happens to still be reading, here is a little overview of where the story is going. Remember, it's not completed.

Chapter 19

Ryu felt the tension in the air the following morning. He woke up in his mansion with an ominous air that something extremely bad was going to happen today.

"Do you want any breakfast today, Ryu-sama?" a voice asked through Ryu's closed eyes.

"No, I'm not hungry. I'll get up in a minute." He didn't want to deal with these people, right now. He just…didn't.

Groggily, Ryu forced himself to get up and begin a new day. He put some clothes on and got ready for a new day.

--

"Ryu!" Kyu came up to him screaming. "Did you hear? Ryoma's been convicted for murder!"

_What?_

--

Earlier in the morning Rizaya made bail. His eyes observed Ryoma noticing every detail to figure out how exactly he managed to get two billion yen in the space of twenty four hours.

Ryoma was sweating more than usual and a sheet of perspiration was forming on the edge of his forehead. He was twitching his fingers slightly and holding himself up a little _too_ straight. _Oh god_… So the plan did work. Ryoma found their connection and realized that Rizaya was looking at him. For about a minute their eyes met and in a second they both knew what was happening. A flash of guilt, the first guilt he had ever felt passed through Rizaya's mind so fast he didn't really notice it.

Ryoma opened his mouth to speak. "Your Honor," he said, "I murdered those people."

"What?" All eyes stared at Ryoma.

"It was me, my brother had no involvement. I pretended to be him and organized the whole thing. I confess."

The entire courtroom was speechless. "W-well, what are you waiting for," the judge yelled at the police officer. Arrest him!"

--


	20. Chapter 20

Ryu felt the tension in the air the following morning. He woke up in his mansion with an ominous air that something extremely bad was going to happen today.

"Do you want any breakfast today, Ryu-sama?" a voice asked through Ryu's closed eyes.

"No, I'm not hungry. I'll get up in a minute." He didn't want to deal with these people, right now. He just…didn't.

Groggily, Ryu forced himself to get up and start this whole routine all over again. He put on the freshly washed clothes that had been prepared for him and left, skipping breakfast.

The train ride had a peaceful monotony as always until Kyu came up to him screaming in distress,

"Ryu! Did you hear? Ryoma's been convicted for murder!"

_What?_

----------------------------------------------

Earlier in the morning Rizaya made bail. His eyes surveyed Ryoma, noticing every detail to figure out how exactly he managed to get two billion yen in the space of twenty four hours.

Ryoma was sweating more than usual and a sheet of perspiration was forming on the edge of his forehead. He was twitching his fingers slightly and holding himself up a little _too_ straight. _Oh god_… So the plan did work. For about a minute their eyes met and in a second they both knew what was happening. A flash of guilt, the first guilt he had ever felt passed through Rizaya's mind so fast he didn't really notice it.

Ryoma opened his mouth to speak. "Your Honor," he said, "I murdered those people."

"What?" All eyes stared at Ryoma.

"It was me, my brother had no involvement. I pretended to be him and organized the whole thing. I confess."

The entire courtroom was speechless. "W-well, what are you waiting for," the judge yelled at the police officer. Arrest him!"

The feeling of happiness that Rizaya felt was so sadistic it engulfed him with a pleasure almost sexual.

------------------------

"Where is he?" Ryoma asked a stranger while being given his one phone call. "You know who I'm talking about."

_"He's safe," the stranger responded in a deep overly masculine altered voice, "He's being fed breakfast and dinner and the only injuries he should have is a callous on his ass for sitting so long. But it won't stay that way if I don't get the money soon."_

"I understand. My brother will take care of that problem."

_A sigh of gratitude, like having a tedious job taken care of, came from the other end. "With that done, there aren't any more problems in need of resolve?"_

"No," Ryoma said curtly and hung up. Maybe juvy wouldn't be so bad if he only had to deal with mindless idiots instead of random people like whoever that was. Hell, maybe it could even be an improvement.

TIME PERIOD BREAK

Rizaya paced back and forth through his rented hotel apartment over a bottle of scotch weighing his options. On one hand he could annul the agreement he and Ryoma had, break off their connection for good, and bail out on the pay day he would have to give all the professional kidnappers Ryoma hired and who really _cared _about what would happen to the hostage? On the other hand, well… Ryoma was a good kitten. Seriously, he worshipped Rizaya, and Rizaya had to give him credit for that. The best thing to with Ryoma in mind would be swallow his pride, pay the kidnappers and hire a damn good lawyer that had strings attached in higher places.

But the infamous Echizen Rizaya couldn't be bothered with the task of thinking about other people could he, not in his position? Because, if he started adding in all the variables, he would be treading on ground which couldn't be stepped upon. And so, Rizaya made his decision.

He fumbled over the numbers on the phone before managing to press the right ones in order, "You know what, Ernie?" he slurred in drunken haze, "Cancel the payment and go fuck yourself." He didn't feel competent enough to say any more without passing out.

_"Whatever shit got up your head, Echizen, you're going to regret it!" _the voice blared out from the receiver, _"I still got that Tezuka kid with me, and trust me, he ain't gonna be going __**anywhere**__!"_

Rizaya lay slumped kneeling at the foot of his bed passed out, and Ryoma was being held in custody by the Japanese police possibly being convicted of more crimes than anyone else in the history of Japan. Nobody got the message.

That was three weeks ago. Judging from the fact that Ryoma was still in prison, waiting for the date of his trial to be announced, he got the feeling that the ransom wasn't paid. _Oh Rizaya, _I'm stupid. I'm so stupid. What was I thinking? Rizaya showing a _thread_ of compassion? The world will end first.

But now, what would happen to Tezuka, and the rest of the people who were held captive? If his family found out then… oh dear.

"Get me out of here!" he screamed, "It's important! Of I don't the family, and the…"

"No one's gonna hear you kid and if fey do, what makes you fink fey gonna listen? Shut up an' let me sleep." A grime-cemented, toothless man croaked from the opposite cell.

So this is what he had been reduced to.

_**Forest on the edge of town**_

"Get out here! All of you! Kizuma, lead them out!" he called out angrily with a loaded 8-milimeter gun. The lackey obeyed.

He shot the one nearest to him, a woman no older than twenty seven. The bullet hit her on the bridge of her nose before she even noticed it and she collapsed to the floor. The rest of the captives, about twenty five people ranging from the ages of sixteen to sixty six were garbed in dirty clothes that they had probably been wearing for over a week. Their hands were tied together with coarse rope.

"Now there's a little problem that has yet to be dealt with everyone." He fired another shot at nothing in particular. "I'm supposed to be paid, you know, for keeping you all alive." He took a sip of whiskey with his free hand, "The thing is, I just found out that my payday ain't coming. So now I don't know what to do with you." Stifled gulps and sobs were heard.

"But the good news is that I've already thought of a solution," he continued. "I want 40 million yen from each of you in a week as compensation. If you pay you get to leave, if not you end up like whoever that is."


End file.
